Tom Hazelmyer was a founding member of Halo Of Flies as well as, more notably, the proprietor of Amphetamine Reptile (AmRep), the greatest record company in the history of the world. Home of such infamous and wonderful noisy rock bands as the Cows, Helmet, Tar, Lubricated Goat, King Snake Roost, Hammerhead and a jillion others (see www.amphetaminereptile.com for a full discography), AmRep is unfortunately now a label of the past. But that doesn’t mean we can’t all get together and remember it fondly! Remember the Clusterfuck tour with Today Is The Day, Guzzard and Chokebore? I do! I was one of the 12 people at the Chapel Hill show! Remember how nervous we all got when they started putting ‘pop’ bands like Superchunk and Supernova onto their Dope Guns & Fucking In The Streets 7” compilations? Oh, I do indeed! We ALL do! But in retrospect, they were right. And by “they,” I mean “he.” And by “he,” I’ve finally gotten back to the point. Tom Hazelmyer agreed to an email interview in mid-September 2005, and I was just the guy to do it. Which is fortunate, since I’m the one who asked. My questions are in bold print; his answers are in regular.

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1. As a former Marine, what are your feelings on this whole Iraq thingy?
Speaking as the exact type of person who would have been directly affected had
it happened during your youth, I think your take on it holds more water than,
say, mine!

I’ve always had a problem with Musicians, Artists, Actors and others from the
arts using public platforms to spout off politically. I personally find the
opinions of my plumber, bartender, or accountant more informed and rational.
Let’s talk about the most dysfunctional group in America and I’m supposed to
turn to them for guidance and knowledge? That’s fucking laughable. That said,
whatever microscopic sliver of celebrity/notoriety I ever achieved, I’d be a
hypocrite to do likewise. We’re sitting in a bar, gloves are off and it’s
another story. I may slip up once in a while and spout off in a format like
this, and when I do, I’m an asshole too.

2. How did you get involved with (a) Zippo lighters, of all crazy things, and
(b) Feral House, one of my all-time favorite publishing houses?

Flame Rite came out of my collecting old 50’s advertising Zippos since I was
a teenager and wanting to make my own. When we did make an Amphetamine Reptile one, we could not keep ‘em in stock. From there we took it one step further
and decided to make the Zippos that would have us salivating if we walked
into a store. So I hit up artists I’d been involved with through the label
like Coop & Kozik, and started the ball rolling. The Scorched Art book through
Feral House was from having been friends with Adam for some years. He headed
up the S.W.A.T. Release on AmRep years before. I really wanted to do an art-based book and he was the obvious choice. Also now with hundreds of companies
using the same pool of artists to make cool stuff I wanted it documented we
were pretty much the first to do so. Actually predating Flame Rite was the
Research & Development series that paired new bands with new “Lowbrow”
artists, which we started in 1991. Some of the artists like Chris Mars, Kozik,
Coop have gone on to be founding fathers of the “Juxtapoz” movement.

3. Why did Halo Of Flies come to an end? And were your later projects (Gear
Jammer, Pogo The Clown) intended as one-offs or did you also play live shows
and hope to develop them into proper "LP/CD" bands?

Everybody had something better to do (ha-ha). Basically the same friction that
created a sense of energy and dynamic to the band that I think made us stand
out, also made it impossible to be a long-term thing. Gear Jammer lasted about
10 minutes, and that was long enough for me to realize I wasn’t able to mine
the same vein without the other 2 Flies. Also during Halo’s the label became
more important to me than the band, and I didn’t see how you could split time
effectively to give both 100%.

4. Did you ever resist signing a band to AmRep not because you didn't like
them but because you didn't think they fit the sound that your fans expected?
Or did you always feel free to sign any band you wanted? Alternately, did you
ever sign a band you weren't super-sold on simply because you thought they'd
sell units?

No. If I liked it, then I considered it AmRep worthy. I honestly never thought
of our sound as that singular or confined, but at some point you have to deal
with that as a reality when the entire music world thinks that’s the case.
Also started running into bands that would hesitate out of concern for being
lumped in, as no original band wants to be pigeonholed. On the second part of
your question, no but I wish I had. For biz reasons solely we should have
become the HELMET label, and only worked with bands that were ripping off
Helmet. I would have likely wound up with that whole late 90’s generation of
bands like Limp Bizkit that still owe Page Hamilton “influence royalties” and
sold millions of units ha-ha. I would be talking to you from poolside in
Beverly Hills instead of from an office above a small bar in Northeast
Minneapolis. Unfortunately my A.D.D.-based “been there, done that” attitude
always got the best of me.

5. Are there any bands that looking back, you wish you had signed but didn't?
(Or alternately, DID sign but wish you hadn't?) On a related note, did you
give your artists freedom to record anything they wanted, or would you refuse
to release a CD you felt was not up to par? For example, I know Chokebore
changed their sound a heck of a lot throughout their career -- did you
continue to like their music? Did anything like that ever happen, where you
just didn't like where a band took their sound?

I think there was only one instance of me refusing to release a record. It was
Love 666 who midstream decided they wanted to take their advance and record
a pure white noise LP. It was the only time in the decade plus where I gave
bands 100% creative control that it came back to bite me in the ass. I know
the purists out there will be aghast with that decision, but they never have
to write the checks for manufacturing and promotion on a LP you’ll sell 2
copies of, and with limited resources it’s not a hard choice to make. They
then went back in the studio and cut “Please Kill Yourself So I Can Rock,”
which I thought was amazing. I can’t think of any band that evolved in a
direction I didn’t care for. Chokebore’s last LP that they did a year or two ago
was the most sedate and least like their AmRep debut, and one of my favorite
recent records by anyone. The only reason AmRep and Chokebore parted paths (on
friendly terms) was their refusal to tour the U.S. and their shrinking presence as a result. I was recently asked about bands I didn’t sign and wish I had, and honestly none come to mind. I never passed on a Nirvana that went on to do amazing shit that I know of.

6. How did it make you as label owner feel when a band would decide to leave
AmRep for 'greener pastures'? Ex. Tar going to T&G, Gaunt signing to a major,
etc. Did this hurt your feelings personally or did you just see it as a
natural business progression (or big mistake?)? Were there ever hard
feelings? And one last semi-question: Did you agree with Interscope that
Helmet had a chance of being the next Nirvana? Or was it just a pipe dream?

It depends on each incident and how it was handled. With Tar it really pissed
me off as at that moment in time AmRep could do everything Touch & Go could;
we had the same sized staffs and capabilities in promotions and distribution.
I felt it was a lateral move based solely on their Chicago-based worship of
Albini and Touch & Go, that I felt did not take into account that I had
busted balls for them when Touch & Go was nowhere to be found and had
literally passed on them. Once they started making headway, and at that
moment in time things were looking good for them, here comes Corey Rusk to
make ‘em an offer. It was also the first time it happened which made it sting
all the worse. Basically a public vote of no confidence from a group of guys
you considered friends and allies. Later on I came to better comprehend band
dynamics and realized that the label was at the top of the list for being
sited as to why any given band hadn’t sold a million copies. If they ever
get to the point where they’ve blamed the manager, label, booking agent, etc.
and finally come to realize that they themselves have something to do with
what’s stopping their march to mass acceptance and recognition, odds are they
aren’t long for this world. By the time Unsane did damn near the same thing I
was far less emotional about it, and even getting to say “I told you so” held
no interest. With Helmet we actually worked together to achieve their move as
we found with limited staff we were quickly devoting a majority of our time to
one band and they obviously far outstripped our abilities. As far as them
being the “next Nirvana” I never thought of it that way, but they came damn
close. With a band like Gaunt, it was always understood that the release we
did was a one-off. With others like Servotron when they left for Lookout, I
willingly tore up the contract as it made sense and we’d given it a shot with
limited success and I saw the logic in them trying to make it through a
completely different channel. I was usually very reasonable about these things
for the most part, and in the back of mind knew I NEVER wanted to force a band
to work with me. How shitty would that make day-to-day life. It’s a hard
enough business even without excessive in-house fighting and sniping.

7. When did you become interested in graphic design? And how did you work -
did you listen to the album first and develop a concept based on its sound?
Or just think of an interesting image and go from there? What are some of the
favorite album covers you created?

Pretty much always was interested in the graphics. It was one of the key
elements that drew me to Punk Rock in the first place. I was every bit as
enamored of the graphics of say Jamie Reid for the Sex Pistols or Danzig
with the Misfits as I was the music itself. I loved how a Chrome record had
such a distinctive look that seemingly matched the vibe laid down in the
grooves. Folks have to realize that the opposite was true in the mainstream at
the time. Go look at a Toto LP cover and realize that the graphics in the
music world at the time were as dismal as the music they were pumping
out. So when you saw something as stunning as early Gang of Four graphics or
early hardcore it was a one-two punch combo. My biggest regret was that I
wish I had been able to devote more time to the process. I used to joke that a
majority of the graphics were a result of the “Fifteen Minute School of
Design” as at times it felt like that was all I could spend on stuff when
running the rest of the operations as well. As a result there wasn’t enough
time to be as thoughtful as you envisioned in the question.

8. If a person had never heard an AmRep release in their life and could only
afford to buy five of them, which five do you think are the top of the top?
On a related note, which five sold the best?

Best sellers, not really sure exactly. Helmet, Melvins, Cows, Boss Hog, Unsane
most likely up there. Melvins should make the above list, but by the time we
started working together they had firmly created their own independent
identity.

9. I know that many of the bands on AmRep created music videos. What were
these videos meant for? I can't imagine MTV ever playing any - were they
created for local market video shows or what?

We did these all on the extremely cheap. Aside from use on the video comps
which sold really well as nobody else was doing that at the time, we also went
out of our way to track down local access shows nationwide, get ‘em to clubs
that played videos, and other creative outlets as we knew the doors to MTV
were firmly locked shut to the underground at that point, and there were no
other national cable options at the time. We used to go to the biggest club in
Minneapolis and collect hundreds of 3/4” videocassettes the majors would send
‘em and tape our videos over ‘em to send to these weird outlets.

10. Are you happy with all of Halo Of Flies' recordings? When you listen now,
this many years later, is it still a sound that excites you? Who or what were
your main influences for that band? Mod bands like the Creation? Or noise
punk bands like Flipper? Or both? Or neither? All of the above? Some but
almost all of a few etc?

Not overall. There’s some moments here and there I feel we were accurately
represented on tape, but not many. The influences were all over the place. At
that point in time I already had a bellyful of 77 Punk, post punk, early
American Hardcore, 60 Garage, primo 60’s acid rock and on some level was
trying to blend it all together and regurgitate it. Stuff like No Trend and
the Aussie X, as well as contemporaries like Cosmic Psychos and countless
others all snuck into the mix.

11. How did you learn the skills necessary to run your own label? Did you
apprentice at another indie label or buy a book or just kinda feel your way
around it? And what were your most effective marketing tools?

Damn, you must have went to college (ha ha). Buy a book?? The closest I came to
internship was watching and helping the Husker Du guys with early Reflex
Records stuff as a teenager. The main lesson was, roll up yer fucking sleeves
and dig in, and try not to repeat mistakes. Also learning how to get it done
on a Private in the Marine Corps pay helped keep shit grounded later on when
there were more resources to play with. Folks who start with a sizeable
funding from the get go never seem to learn how to keep things reasonable and
are usually the first to go bankrupt. Shit like having a new band spend
$15,000 to record an LP that in all likelihood will sell 3000 copies. Sending
20 copies to all the writers of a Rolling Stone that never would cover an
indie release in the 80’s or 90’s, every release rain or shine. Etc etc etc.
For me it just seemed common sense to find a cut out box factory and ship our
new releases out in overstock Deep Fry Fat boxes we got cheap (ha-ha). Also
having done it all by myself at the beginning I knew most aspects from packing
orders to doing contracts so I had some insight on all aspects of operations.

12. Do you still follow the underground noisy music scene? If so, are there
any bands you've seen that you would definitely sign if you still had AmRep
going?

Not been a lot of interest. I would have loved doing the A-Frames, Polysics,
Lifter Puller, Easy Action, Vaz, Heroin Sheiks and a few others. But in
reality it would have been really tough keeping the label alive with what
became of indie music for the past 7 years since we quit. Most of it holds no
interest to me as it seems there’s been a collective sensitivity training draining the ballsy aspects of rock I am always looking for.

13. I know that you got a slack in the past because of your Republican
leanings. What do you think about the job that George W. Bush is doing?
Also, what Republican (or Conservative) ideals attract you to that party?

Never could figure out how & why that made the rounds. I made a point to not
take a political stand in interviews as label guy, as I always felt it had
nothing to do with the music. Also why should people in the bands who might
disagree with me feel as though they have to shill for the opposition or my
beliefs because I’m putting AmRep out there as a political entity. If me & you
are sitting at a bar and have a debate that’s a whole other story. I was
always amazed at how many folks felt they could discount the accomplishments
and aesthetics of the label and its bands because I might not agree with them
politically. What the fuck is that? That’s on par with me thinking Gang of
Four or Joe Strummer were shit because I thought their politics were run of
the mill art school bullshit. Difference being they wore it on their sleeve
and I didn’t. Since there is no more label I’ll gladly state that I’m about as
Libertarian as they come. At times that belief runs parallel to Republican
ideals (especially economically). Back when the Left actually gave a shit
about personal freedoms I imagine I would have been siding with them far more than I do now. George W. Bush is a blue blood, country club, silver spoon, elitist douchebag. Then again John Kerry was a blue blood, country club, silver spoon,
elitist shit sandwich. I subscribe to South Park politics I guess.

14. Do you still run the Ox-Op Art Gallery? If so, what kinds of work are you
showing there these days?

Look it up at www.ox-op.com Tons going on. What’s happening in art right now
is far more exciting than in the music world. A lot of parallels with early
Punk/Alternative, as the new school is despised by the establishment that is
desperately trying to keep it outside the gates, much akin to how the majors
acted for decades. Also the same creative energy and groundbreaking work that
can only seemingly happen in the murky primordial soup of an early movement,
before the rulebook gets written.

15. Tell us the history behind Grumpy's too! Will we ever see a Grumpy's in
NYC? Or, if Citizine runs this interview, LA?

Neither. They both have smoking bans; therefore it’s impossible to do a proper bar.
I’m thinking Vegas (ha-ha).

16. What are the worst things about running your own record label? Any
particular horror stories you'd care to share?

The worst thing was realizing that if you want a long-term “business” you have
to start running things that counter what the artist wants. The two are seldom
the same. The artist sees a 14-panel gatefold sleeve with images licensed
from the estate of Salvador Dali as necessary to their vision and integrity. You just start to see the fact that you’ll be losing $2 for every unit sold, and find it harder to buy into the creative vision because you get pounded into submission by having to balance the checkbook at the end of the day. Also it got to the point where jadedly I could tell you minute by minute when & where any given band was going to start souring on the business. Not just my label mind you, but I would watch friends do the same thing to other labels. At any rate when you start getting that negative, it destroys and overshadows the magic of when you hear a new band and it lights your world on fire, and you’re pulling 12-hour days for the cause. When you think this is
the fucking greatest thing in the world and all that needs to happen is for the rest of the world to figure it out by you pounding on their doors and making ‘em listen. After the 20th time of realizing the rest of the world isn’t likely to share your enthusiasm, it’s damn near impossible to start said fire.

17. Does it make you feel bad to see so many great AmRep releases going out of
print? Have any labels offered to buy parts of your catalog from you for
re-release? Is there any chance that you'll ever re-release any of it?

I don’t feel bad; it’s just part of my history. It’s not as though I’ve been
sitting here since 98 when I shut it down, waiting for the call, “Hey buddy, the kids all wanna hear that kooky AmRep sound!” If there was enough interest I would be reissuing stuff. I never shut it down completely, and kept most titles available (I just never repress anything). I got most of it up on eMusic and iTunes for the younger set that isn’t as stressed to hold it physically, and is just searching for the music.

18. Who in your opinion are the five greatest artists/bands to come out of the
Twin Cities -- and what do you love most about each's sound?

Fuck I don’t know. To be honest I’ve never been a big LOCALS ONLY booster.
Off the top of my head with little to no thought I’d say

COWS ­ Those guys reworked the book on guitar/bass/drums and got none of the
credit they STILL deserve.

HUSKER DU ­ Ultimate mix of aesthetics, raw power and not afraid of using a
big assed hook.

LIFTER PULLER ­ That last LP was a fucking masterpiece few bands ever achieve!

.....now I can’t think of anymore I’d site, and I’ll get in trouble as soon as
those worthy see this and remind me.

19. Were you surprised when Kristen Pfaff and Sean McDonnell died of
heroin-related deaths? Or was it common knowledge that they were involved in
hard drugs and might be at risk?

Actually Sean wasn’t Heroin. He died from an asthma attack. His lifestyle of
24-hour party marathons, smoking, and living a hard NYC nightlife played a
part in wearing him down to the point where a cold might have kicked his ass.
Sean was a close friend and I still miss the fuck out of him.

Kristen was a surprise, as it was common knowledge in Minneapolis that she
hadn’t even dabbled until the months after she moved to L.A., and hooked up
with Hole. You do the math. It was exactly what EVERYONE warned her not to do
when moving out there.

The only person I know of that was on the AmRep roster that was a stone
cold junky (whom shall go unnamed) is still alive much to everybody’s surprise
15 years later. A fucking miserable existence mind you, but still kicking.

I was out of the loop on the drug info. Most folks know I wasn’t tolerant,
so a lot of it was hidden from me. I’m always amazed at how many really smart
people start fucking with heroin like they don’t know how many thousands in
the music biz have had their ass handed to them by that drug.

20. I heard over a year ago that a new
GodBullies album was in the works, but since then...nothing! Do you have any
inside information? Also, on the topic of "inside information," doesn't that
Foreigner album "Inside Information" kick some ass? "Say You Will, Say You
Won't" indeed!

I talk with David Livingstone regularly but haven’t been privy to new God
Bullies info. You just had to say Foreigner didn’t you. Now I have “Hot
Blooded” going in my head. TAKE IT BACK.